Photo by LynnPetersArt.com
By Emma Gomez, News Editor
The artist may pass away, but the artist’s soul will live on through their art and their impact on others.
Lynn Peters was a sculpture, ceramics and design professor here at Moraine Valley who worked with artists around the globe, then brought her work back to Moraine for all to see. She passed away Nov. 29, with 25 years of experience at the college. Some of her work is scattered throughout Moraine Valley’s landscape.
Her tires hanging from walls in the library are representative of the “treads that we leave” in life, according to Sylvia Jenkins, Moraine’s president. Port Hope on the north side of the T building consists of mirrors and is about reflecting on your life, Jenkins said.
Lynn Peters’ tires are a statement on the legacy we leave behind.
Lisa Kelsay, assistant dean of liberal arts, remembers Peters as a bright soul, providing joy to countless students.
“Full of life, vibrant,” Kelsay said. “[She was] very positive, upbeat, always had a smile, kind of chipper early in the morning.
“I knew she was one of the people I could have a conversation with at 8 in the morning because she was full of life, always bouncing back and forth between studios and her office. Just always happy.”
Peters has a website that displays her artwork and dives into the meanings and creativity behind her work. She also published a book, “Surface Decoration for Low-Fire Ceramics,” that is described as “an informative, color guide to glazing and embellishing ceramics at low temperatures.”
“My studio is like a cabinet of curiosities, a kind of memory theater where I pitch camp with open journals and images on the walls, tables and floor,” Peters said on her website, describing her work.
“From my archive comprising thousands of pages from countless sources, I create vignettes with vintage ceramics and maquettes that I arrange and rearrange in a Dada-Joseph-Cornell-like construction, that is in flux for a while.”
While on her art journey, she took interest in getting out into the world and showcasing her art through artist residencies. These give artists the opportunity to spend a week or two with other artists, to hone their skills. Peters was beyond thrilled to get accepted into one called Archie Bray, in Helena, Montana.
Peters got the chance to live in Montana with other artists in her very own studio. From her experiences, she was able to bring back her artwork to Moraine and had a college show. Peters also did an art sabbatical with other women. From this, she created brilliant new artwork.
Lynn Peters’ ‘Wonder With Everything: Out with the Bathwater Mixed’ is displayed in FPAC as a part of the faculty art show.
“She was a fantastic faculty member, and an amazing artist,” Kelsay said. “She loved learning, absolutely loved learning. She was beyond thrilled about getting into Archie Bray.
“I’m not an artist, but from what I can understand, this was a hard one to get into. She learned a lot and had a lot of time to immerse herself into her artwork and develop some great new art.”
Peters loved giving her students opportunities to expand and grow their art. Along with being a professor, Peters was program coordinator for the art program. She worked with students to get them ready to compete at local, regional, and national conferences.
Peters wanted students to learn not just from her, but others as well.
Lynn Peters’ legacy will live on in the heart of Moraine and globally, as she had art shows in places such as Japan, Argentina, and France. Peters’ charisma has etched itself into not just the people of Moraine, but also the walls.
Peters’ artwork is being displayed currently alongside other faculty artwork in a faculty show in the F building that will be up until Jan. 27.
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